Ernest I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Ernest I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (2 January 1784-29 January 1844) was the Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 9 December 1806 to 29 January 1844, succeeding Francis of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and preceding Ernest II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Biography
Ernest von Saxe-Coburg was born on 2 January 1784, the son of Duke Francis of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Augusta of Reuss-Ebersdorf. He was the older brother of the future King Leopold I of Belgium, and he succeeded his father as Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld in 1806. In 1826, he renamed Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld to Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and he founded the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha with this transition. He ruled the city-state until his death in 1844.